Srilanka, March 21 -- The Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force, Air Marshal Bandu Edirisinghe, has appointed a special investigation committee to probe the crash of the K-8 trainer jet.

The K-8 aircraft, used for advanced training of pilots assigned to the No. 05 Fighter Squadron at the Sri Lanka Air Force Base in Katunayake, crashed this morning in the Wariyapola area, Kurunegala, during a training exercise.

The two pilots aboard the aircraft safely ejected and landed at the Minuwangate College premises in Padeniya, Kurunegala with the assistance of parachutes.

The Chief Training Instructor Pilot and the Trainee Pilot were evacuated and are currently receiving treatment at the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital.

The aircraft had taken off...